Today's Results- $206 in 5 hrs

I started off the session in a familiar way getting all in on the flop after a huge 3bet pf with aces vs tp2k and lose it to a runner runner flush. Then I won a big pot when I turned a fh and got paid by a flopped fh. I think it is very likely I'll be setting a personal record for most lost and most won in a session this month. Now that I'm buying in full and staying topped up I think I can improve substantially on my hourly at the 2/4 game.

April

Total hours played- 34
Average hourly winrate- $39
Winnings- $1333

2012 YTD

Total hours played- 383
Average hourly winrate- $18
Winnings- $7043

Thanks man! GL in your endeavour.

Today's Results- $243 in 9.5 hrs

I went down to Garden City Casino in SJ with another Oaks reg, I had only been there only once before. I played 1/2/3 nl and 2/3/5 nl. It was interesting trying to study and get reads on the 8 unknown villains. I played a lot of big pots, made some good laydowns. My focus was good. They hand about 4 tables of each stake and the line ups didn't seem that tough to me. I wouldn't mind coming back here, I think my bankroll is a little too small for the 2/3/5 game though.

April

Total hours played- 43.5
Average hourly winrate- $36
Winnings- $1576

2012 YTD

Total hours played- 392.5
Average hourly winrate- $19
Winnings- $7286

What is the biggest downswing in terms of money and time you have ever had?

I often drop 5 buyins at 1/2 and occasionally 3 buyins at 3/5. this is why having a big br is key; I can lose 7 buyins and not worry, and also lose 3 buyins playing higher. it aint no thang!

How many BB's are those buy ins for? I am not sure those are downsings but more along the lines of bad sessions. Any thoughts? I have been a consistent winning player at 1/3 for 2 years and only recently began my first downswing which has lasted about a month.

How long should a downswing last in regards to sessions, buy ins, days? Also, what hourly rate should a solid player be making at 1/3 NL? Lastly, how many live hands would you say a poker player needs to play before he is a proven winning player and not just on a good run?

......if OP had 30BI it would be stupid to tyr play 'low variance'. Since OP has a short roll, he might hold off on 3betting fish w/ KT IP for value because it will greatly increase his std dev which will increase variance in the very short term, which is all a 10BI roll allows you to see.

got it?

PA, again, nice work this year

Serio, you can do all types of those sims at evplusplus.com.

Today's Results- $140 in 2 hrs

I didn't like the tables I was at and wasn't in the mood to play much so I just played a short uneventful session.

I lost $1600 or 8 100bb buy ins playing 1/2 last July over about 2 weeks. I've had a breakeven stretch that lasted 200 hrs. I realize I haven't experienced any prolonged run bad and I know I will inevitably hit a really rough patch sooner or later. I'll easily be able to lose more than $1600 playing 2/4.

Absolutely right, having a bankroll to absorb hits is critical.

It is possible to downswing for a whole year. Everyone can beat a certain line up of villains you should be able to figure out which opponets you can beat based on mistakes you observe them making. Play with them and avoid the opponents you don't have an edge on.

That is exactly my thinking. Thanks!

April

Total hours played- 45.5
Average hourly winrate- $38
Winnings- $1716

2012 YTD

Total hours played- 394.5
Average hourly winrate- $19
Winnings- $7426

If you are experiencing a 10BI downswing or more at 1/2 - 1/3 then you need to find a different table/game or change up your style. If you are playing 40hrs a week, a BE stretch of more than 2 months (IMO) means there is something wrong with your play (assuming 40+ hours/week).

Good players in good games should be able to beat 1/2 for $20+/hr and 1/3 at ~$25/hr.

I have a little over 400 hours at 1/3 in the past year and have logged $31/hr.

Are you serious??? If this is true how many ENGLISH PROFFESORS or ENGLISH MAJORS do you see actually making any money in poker? I can name a few professional poker players in the top tier group that barely speaks english or having bad gramers due to english being a second language.

Today's Results- -$108 in 10.5 hrs

I played a couple hands poorly. I folded an overpair to a big c/r in a multiway pot and villain ended up having tptk. I also made a bad turn call when an over card came to my floped overpair, I was able to get away on the river.

The table was pretty good but I didn't find too many good spots to get involved. I'm going to try to get in another long session tomorrow.

April

Total hours played- 56
Average hourly winrate- $29
Winnings- $1608

2012 YTD

Total hours played- 405.5
Average hourly winrate- $18
Winnings- $7318

Today's Results- $187 in 4.5 hrs

It looks like I'm on a decent pace for the amount of hrs I've put in. Lately, I've tried to just quit whenever I get bored and don't feel like playing anymore or can't focus.

April

Total hours played- 60.5
Average hourly winrate- $30
Winnings- $1795

2012 YTD

Total hours played- 410
Average hourly winrate- $18
Winnings- $7505

Today's Results- -$318 in 10 hrs

I got in a long session, I think I played ok most of the session I was just folding missed flops. The biggest pots I played were kings vs aces aipf for half a buy in and aces vs aces aipf.

Here is a tough spot I got in-

I've got AK utg and open for 16 and get 2 calls. mp caller has 100 lp, I have 600 lp covers

Flop- AJ6
I bet 30 into 49 mp calls then lp raises to 100. mp is a loose player who I am willing to get it in with. It's my first time playing against lp but he has played tight from what I had seen. It think he is probably raising the flop with AQ+, AJs, JJ, 66 for value. He could be semibluffing with KQ. I really hate this spot because if I am ahead it is hard to get value on later streets from worse and if I am behind I am drawing thin/dead and stand to lose a lot. I fold, mp folds.

It is hard to believe it has been a year since black friday. I've got some thoughts on it but I'll get to it in a later post.

April

Total hours played- 70.5
Average hourly winrate- $21
Winnings- $1477

2012 YTD

Total hours played- 420
Average hourly winrate- $17
Winnings- $7187

Most awesome blog dude. Congrats on your progress!!
I was wondering, if it isn't too much to ask, if you would help me out with some much needed advice: I have been playing poker for a few years, I am an average player at the moment. For the past few months I have been taking this sport very seriously and I want to become a professional player such as yourself. I am currently dedicating all of my free time to studying poker(poker literature, forums, psychology - body language, human cognition, etc). My biggest problem is that I have no money to start a bankroll with. What do you suggest?(am playing micro-stakes NL with a bankroll of 40$ at the moment and feel that I am much better when playing live).
Hope you don't find my request rude or anything considering I am a complete stranger.
The best of luck to you and all other aspiring players out there.
Best regards,
Andrei.

Personally I started my bankroll by working some temp jobs and dealing black jack and roulette to my friends. GL to you.

Really pure?? Im interested to hear more about this lol, what were the limits you were letting them bet?? How much did you make from the blackjack and roulette?? If youre not interested in putting it out there....i understand...otherwise...GL love the thread!

Right, ok. I was actually asking for ways of improving my game, something more specific, I don't know. I mean I feel like I'm kind of stuck, don't know where to begin. But thanks anyway, appreciate the answer (:

The stuff you mentioned is good, read books, read 2+2, grind 2nl. Everytime you see a showdown evaluate if you think you played your hand the best on every street, note any mistakes you made and work on it.

Dont be results oriented! We both know thats a fairly ez fold. the reason you fold is because vs his RANGE its a bad call (G-Bucks theory). So what if 10% of the time its a bad fold, because 9/10 times youre dead


Only playing when entirely focused and ready to win is key. Once you feel that youre done, just leave. The game will always be there, and youre playing low enough stakes so that you dont need to worry about finding soft games. Discipline, practicing good habits, and patience

I think you can either fold or flat and c/f turns that arent like 6x or Ax or Kx. Even if he has KQhh he isnt really semi bluffing(youre prolly a small fav, if at all)

go play husng's online, like the 2 dollar regular speeds. Buy a husng.com membership. Learning HU is the greatest way to improve your game and HUSNGs are GREAT bankroll builders!

Pm me if youd like more advice

It is important to realize that EVERY single hand you play is completely independent of the hand before it. They do not affect eachother.

Imagine when you flip a coin- whatre the odds that it hits heads? tails?

Lets say it hits heads. Now you want to flip it again, whatre the odds it his heads again?

Lets say you flipped the coin 37 times, and you hit heads the last 12 times!!! Whatre the odds your next flip is heads?

Downswings exist in your head. Just play your best every time.

I often see people making bad plays and then saying "man Im on the worst streak ever!" " When will this downswing end?!" etc etc.

Today's Results- -$213 in 10 hrs

I had a swingy session, I started out running good and flopping good and was up 500 then proceded to lose every pot for then next 5 hours mostly standard stuff and a few beats. I had to fold an overpair to an old tight guy who l/c pf, c/c the flop, then c/r 3x on the turn where the board had 2 fds, he said he had aces. I think I played well the whole session with the only big mistake that sticks out is a spot where I made a marginal river call based on a bad read.

I would let them bet between like $.25 and $50 and sometimes $100. It was just with the same buddies I played poker with. We had a little roulette wheel and felt with the numbers on it.

We would all drink beers I would shuffle up 3 or 4 decks and deal some black jack. I have a friend who's signature was to double on breaking hands which I always encouraged. None of them played by the book so I knew I had a pretty big edge regardless. One of my friends actually won $7k in a night playing black jack at the recently shuttered Sahara in Vegas playing sloppy drunk. After that he got a free room offers all the time haha.

I didn't make a whole lot but when you have no job anything is nice.

Yes in both those hands villain's range has a lot more hands that are crushing me than hands that I am beating and will be able to get value from.

I think my discipline has been pretty good and everything is getting to be fairly routine. I never let losing a pot tilt me and only focus on the important info that can be gained.

April

Total hours played- 80.5
Average hourly winrate- $16
Winnings- $1264

2012 YTD

Total hours played- 430
Average hourly winrate- $16
Winnings- $6974

Today's Results- $270 in 10 hrs

It was a boring session lots of folding. I only played 1 big pot all day where I managed to double up kings vs tens in a straddled pot.

April

Total hours played- 90.5
Average hourly winrate- $17
Winnings- $1534

2012 YTD

Total hours played- 440
Average hourly winrate- $16
Winnings- $7244

Today's Results- $827 in 4.5 hrs

I ran hot today and crushed... all at the 1/2 table. The 2/4 looked terrible but the 1/2 game I got into had at least 3 players I love to play with. These are the kind of guys that you see walk into the cardroom and your whole day instantly gets better.

I got aces a couple times, flopped a couple sets and never lost any significant pot.

Here is the biggest pot of the day-

I've got AA in mp, ep opens for 10 I 3bet to 40, shorty goes all in for 73, lp flats, original raiser says I feel like gambling and calls, I raise 100 more, lp calls, ep calls I have 150 left and ep is the only one with chips left and covers me.

Flop- 1046
Villain checks I bet 100 he calls

Turn- 4
Villain checks I'm all in for 50 he calls

River- 7
I chop the main with shorty who had AA, lp had KK, ep had Q10 This is the 3rd time this week I have had aces vs aces but I actually made some money this time.

April

Total hours played- 95
Average hourly winrate- $25
Winnings- $2361

2012 YTD

Total hours played- 444.5
Average hourly winrate- $18
Winnings- $8071

Hey nice session!

finish out the next 10 days hard and get that 4k